My Family (2000)
Ben Harper is a moderately successful family man and dentist. He is also undergoing a mid-life crisis and trying to cope with the bizarre reality of raising teenage children. His wife Susan seems quite happy, enjoys her job as a London tour guide, however at home her ability to find her way around a cookbook or pantry is less successful. Their three children Nick, Janey, and Michael are as different as chalk and cheese. Nick (19) is on his gap year, but doesn't get much further than the sofa or job centre, Janey is as sharp as a tack and 16 going on 25, while Michael is a very bright, computer-nerdish 12 year old who is just discovering girls.
-
Episode 1 - Wheelie Ben
Release Date: 2010-07-09When the council assume Ben is disabled and send him cheques he tries to return the money but the clerk won't listen and Rosemary, the gushing welfare visitor who comes to assess him, is too busy saying how brave she thinks he is, to let him get a word in edge ways.
-
Episode 2 - The Son'll Come Out
Release Date: 2010-07-16Given that he used to have lots of girl-friends, when Michael comes out as gay, Ben is perplexed but determined to be supportive. Susan is just annoyed that Michael told Ben first.
-
Episode 3 - Desperately Stalking Susan
Release Date: 2010-07-23Ben is appalled to discover that Martin, the benign elderly widower from next door, is besotted with Susan and has built a shrine to her in his kitchen. Whilst Ben has trouble persuading the police, Martin ties Susan to a chair and proposes to her.
-
Episode 4 - The Melbourne Identity
Release Date: 2010-07-30Craig, a young Australian, arrives at the house, claiming his mother was at college with Ben and Susan lets him stay in exchange for doing some decorating. Initially irritated by him, Ben starts to worry when it looks as if Craig could be his illegitimate son.
-
Episode 5 - He's Just Not That Into Ben
Release Date: 2010-08-06To prove how trendy he is, Ben accompanies an embarrassed Michael to a gay club, where he gets chatted up by the adoring Rupert, who follows him home and sends him flowers. It's down to Susan to rescue her husband - and wangle herself a free holiday at the same time.
-
Episode 6 - Slammertime
Release Date: 2010-08-13Whilst Susan is away Ben takes part in a police identity parade, where he is picked out as being a mugger and remanded in a cell with hard cases Carl and Terry. They hire their brief to get him released but later turn up at his house, wanting to lie low, along with Carl's wife Verity.
-
Episode 7 - Ben Behaving Badly
Release Date: 2010-08-27When Janey has to sit with a poorly Kenzo, Ben volunteers to look after one of her elderly care clients, Harry, a man who seems to have been around but is not allowed out else he will go walkabout. However Harry encourages Ben to join him for a night on the town; what could possibly go wrong?
-
Episode 8 - Mary Christmas
Release Date: 2010-12-24Whilst playing Santa at Susan's works Christmas party Ben becomes emotionally involved when a little girl asks him to reconcile her mother and grand-father, who have fallen out. He actually succeeds, winning rare praise from Susan for his efforts. The Harpers are less successful, though, when their lavish New year party, with fireworks, a band and food from T.V. chef Ainsley Harriott initially fails to poach guests from nasty neighbour Casey's glitzy annual event. Can recent dental patient Rolf Harris save the night with his presence or will the rocket literally go up? At least Susan and Ben see in the New Year presenting a united front.